Dr. Mariam Shaikh: Building Pathways, Shaping Futures, and Elevating Global Education

A leader defined by purpose

Dr. Mariam Shaikh has dedicated more than three decades to transforming student journeys, building institutional bridges, and positioning Dubai as a dynamic hub for higher education and global talent. As Founder and CEO of MS Education Consultants, she guides learners across borders while advising universities on strategy, partnerships, and student experience with a vision rooted in empowerment and long-term impact. Her career spans early childhood education, K-12 leadership, and senior university roles, culminating in a consultancy that reflects her belief that it is never too late to dream anew and act with purpose.

From educator to ecosystem builder

When we sat down with Dr. Shaikh, the discussion began with her earliest days in the early 1980s, launching a nursery inspired by her children — an experience that set the tone for a career anchored in student-centered leadership. She later headed a major school group in the UAE, scaling it to one of the largest Asian schools in the country, serving more than 7,000 students. Her move into higher education leadership saw her play pivotal roles in establishing and growing prominent institutions and international branch campuses in Dubai, including contributing to the University of New Brunswick’s footprint in Dubai Knowledge Village — a milestone for global higher education in the region.

Her senior positions at institutions such as Canadian University Dubai, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and Amity University Dubai strengthened her expertise in student recruitment, marketing, student experience, and strategic development across the UAE’s maturing education landscape. These experiences inform the multi-stakeholder approach she brings to MS Education Consultants, where outcomes are measured in student success, sustainable partnerships, and institutional growth.

The founding of MS Education Consultants

After a distinguished leadership tenure at leading universities, Dr. Shaikh founded MS Education Consultants in 2020 with a mission to guide students toward international opportunities while helping institutions design growth pathways and build cross-border partnerships. The firm supports students across the full admission lifecycle, from program selection and application strategy to accommodation, visa support, and internship facilitation, ensuring a seamless transition into global academic environments. Its geographical scope spans the U.K., U.S., Canada, Australia, the UAE, Europe, Malaysia, and India, with partnerships that include well-regarded universities such as the University of Guelph and Toronto Metropolitan University, among others.

The consultancy also curates immersive learning programs, including the Cultural & Higher Education Experience Program in the UAE, which blends campus familiarization with exposure to Dubai’s economy and cultural heritage, giving learners early insight into future pathways and the skills required to thrive in evolving industries. This hybrid model of mentorship, mobility, and experiential learning positions MS Education Consultants as a bridge between aspiration and achievement for students worldwide.

Empowerment through education and experience

Speaking with Dr. Shaikh underscored how central student happiness and well-being are to her vision. During her time in higher education leadership, she was appointed Chief Happiness Officer and Vice President of Student Experience, where she led initiatives in mental health, inclusive engagement, and leadership development. Her approach goes beyond recruitment to cultivating holistic environments where students are seen, heard, and guided toward purposeful futures.

Recognitions that reflect impact

Dr. Shaikh’s contributions have been recognized by regional and global platforms across leadership, education, and women’s empowerment. She was named Asia’s Top 100 Women Power Leaders, a Global 200 Women Power Leader, and received distinctions including the Emirates Women Award for Entrepreneurship, the Golden AIM Conference recognition for educational leadership in Asia, and CToday’s Most Outstanding Female Leader in Education and Women’s Advocacy. Most recently, World Top Leaders honored her as the Most Empowering Woman in Education of the Year 2025, an acknowledgement of sustained influence in advancing education systems and student access across borders.

These accolades underscore a career defined not by titles but by the measurable advancement of students, institutions, and educational ecosystems under her guidance.

Building Dubai as a global education destination

A constant theme in Dr. Shaikh’s work is her commitment to positioning Dubai as a thriving center for higher education and innovation. Through years of institution-building, student recruitment leadership, and international outreach, she has helped attract learners from more than 100 nationalities to the UAE, advocating for a tolerant, collaborative, and future-focused academic environment. Her institutional work has combined academic rigor with real-world exposure via partnerships, delegations, and brand ambassadorship that elevate the UAE’s profile as a preferred education hub.

This effort aligns with her consultancy’s mission to connect global universities with the region through strategic collaborations, campus setup advisory, and cultural exchange, ensuring a two-way flow of knowledge and opportunity.

What MS Education Consultants delivers

MS Education Consultants operates on a comprehensive model designed to create success for both students and institutions. For students, services include:

• Guidance on course and destination selection aligned with career goals, industry trends, and personal aspirations.
• Application strategy and documentation support across undergraduate and postgraduate programs in leading global destinations.
• Visa assistance, accommodation coordination, and integration support to ensure a smooth transition into campus life.
• Internship and experiential opportunities that build employability and global exposure.

For institutions, the consultancy provides:

• Recruitment strategy rooted in market insights and student needs.
• International partnership development to enable program expansion, articulation pathways, and collaborative initiatives.
• Advisory on student experience and well-being frameworks to enhance outcomes and retention.
• Cultural immersion programming and short-term learning experiences that strengthen brand presence and student pipelines.

This portfolio reflects a dual commitment to access and excellence, strengthening both sides of the education continuum.

Leadership marked by happiness, resilience, and results.

What distinguishes Dr. Shaikh’s leadership is her integration of student happiness into the core of performance and engagement. Her tenure as Chief Happiness Officer and student experience leader brought initiatives that connected student voice with institutional strategy, demonstrating how well-being can drive academic success and community vitality. She reinforces this culture within her consultancy through personalized mentorship, career guidance, and programs designed to empower students to take initiative and lead their development journeys.

Her entrepreneurial transition from corporate leadership to founding MS Education Consultants shows a willingness to embrace discomfort for growth while staying faithful to a mission bigger than any single role. That blend of courage and care has become a defining characteristic of her brand of leadership.

A global footprint shaped by collaboration

A hallmark of Dr. Shaikh’s work is the way she forges connections across continents, aligning student ambition with institutional mandates and national education priorities. By convening stakeholders across universities, industry, and government-linked platforms, she has helped catalyze collaborative frameworks that serve learners and ecosystems simultaneously. Her extensive travel and role as a brand ambassador for the UAE’s higher education sector have supported the country’s evolution into a recognized global education destination, where diversity and opportunity intersect.

Through partnerships with recognized universities and the creation of mobility programs, she ensures that students gain both academic credentials and cultural fluency, preparing them for leadership in a connected world.

Championing women’s leadership

Dr. Shaikh actively supports women’s economic participation and leadership, leveraging forums, networks, and mentorship communities to expand access to opportunities. She advocates practical, values-driven strategies for women to build sustainable careers in education and entrepreneurship, emphasizing resilience, continuous learning, and the importance of community in overcoming systemic barriers. This advocacy complements her institutional work, reinforcing a pipeline of women leaders ready to influence policy, pedagogy, and practice.

Values that drive an enduring legacy

The values underpinning MS Education Consultants mirror Dr. Shaikh’s life’s work: mentorship, compassion, quality, and access. She advances a student-first ethos that treats every application as a story in motion and every partnership as a step toward a more inclusive and forward-looking global education system. The firm’s model is designed to be adaptive, integrating physical and digital experiences and aligning with industry trends so that graduates are prepared for the demands of the future economy.

This values-based approach explains the loyalty of students and the trust of institutions that collaborate with her team for long-term outcomes rather than transactional wins.

Growth with intention

Dr. Shaikh’s roadmap for the coming years prioritizes scale with depth: expanding reach to diverse student populations, strengthening digital platforms for access, and broadening partnerships that connect academic study with employability and entrepreneurship. She places special emphasis on mentoring young entrepreneurs and supporting women founders through training, networks, and pathways to practical experience, including structured work placements and internships that bridge education and employment.

Her vision remains clear and consistent: build futures by building people, strengthen institutions through authentic collaboration, and keep student happiness and purpose at the heart of educational progress.

The CEO Maven view

• Build with empathy and evidence: Pair operational excellence with human-centered design in student experience and institutional strategy.
• Think ecosystems, not silos: Align students, universities, industry, and culture to create enduring value beyond admissions cycles.
• Make well-being a growth lever: Treat student happiness as a strategic advantage that improves outcomes and strengthens community.
• Lead through partnerships: Use collaboration to accelerate access, global mobility, and institutional reliability across regions.
• Elevate women’s leadership: Create pathways, networks, and mentorship structures that convert potential into participation and impact.

A life’s work that opens doors

Dr. Mariam Shaikh’s journey is a testament to how consistent vision, principled leadership, and a relentless focus on student outcomes can reshape educational landscapes across borders. Through MS Education Consultants, she has built a platform that does more than place students in programs. It equips them to find their purpose, navigate opportunity, and contribute meaningfully to a global society that is richer for their presence. In doing so, she has modeled what it means to lead with heart and strategy in equal measure, turning education into a bridge that countless learners now cross with confidence and hope.

Quotes:

“For me, leadership is not about being in charge — it’s about making sure everyone around you feels valued and empowered.”

“Every setback I’ve faced has carried a lesson, and every lesson has made me stronger.”

“When you truly believe in what you’re building, your energy becomes contagious.”

“Success feels incomplete if it’s not shared with the people who helped you achieve it.”